Snap-hook.



D. J. SCOTT.

SNAP HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED APR. :2, 1915 Patented May 9, 1916.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0-. wAslUNgToN. n. c. I

- ret h eri embe 2; leF sewa s TTNTTED b TfirTFiS DON J. SCOTT, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE NORTH & JUDD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

SNAP-HOOK.

Application filed April 12, 1915.

provision of an article of the character noted which can be inexpensively made, the parts of which can be readily assembled and which when operatively related, possess the maximum resisting power and strength.

The device possesses other features of novelty and usefulness, which with the foregoing will be stated at length in the following description wherein I will set forth in detail those of the several forms of embodiment of the invention, which I h ave selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. I do not restrict myself to this disclosure; 1 may depart therefrom in many particulars within the scope of the invention defined by the claims following said description.

Referring. to said drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a snap-hook-involving my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively rear and side elevations of said snap-hook. Fig. 4i is a side elevation, and Fig. 5 an end elevation of a spring. Fig. 6 is an inside view, and, Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a hook member. Fig. 8 is a side elevation, and, Fig. 9 a front elevation of a loop member. Fig. 10 is an inside face view, and, Fig. 11 a side elevation of a connectingmember in preliminary condition. Fig. 12 is a rear View of a slightly different form of the snap-hook. Figs. 13 and 14 are views corresponding to Figs. 10 and 11 respec tively of the connecting-member constituting part of the hook of Fig. 11.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 11 inclusive, the snap hook therein illustrated comprises four principal elements, namely a loop-member, a.

connecting-member, a hook-member, and a spring-member, those denoted generally by 2, 3, 4 and 5 answering satisfactorily in this connection. In Figs. 8 and 9 I have repre- Specificaition of Letters Patent.

Patented nay a, rare.

Serial No. 20,650.

11 I have shown the connecting-member in preliminary condition, while in Figs. 6 and 7 the hook-member is represented, Figs. 4 and 5 illustrating the spring 5. The loop or eye as shown is of split or divided type, the upper or inner side bar thereof, having at opposite sides of the split or opening therein the laterally disposed or outwardlyoii'set extension 6 which mate and constitute a suitable projection. These extensions 6 are disposed approximately at a right angle to the upper or inner side bar of the loop or eye. There is an interlock or positive connection between the loop or eye 2 and the hook andl will hereinafter describe snitable means which provide for such connection. This loop member can be made from wire or can be stamped in a single piece from sheet metal or can be forged, these being several ways in which the part mentioned can be obtained. The mating extensions 6 are on a slight outward taper, and as shown their inner sides are beveled as at 7, there being at the outer termination of the two bevel surfaces 7 the abrupt shoulders 8 which I might state are adapted to abut against a practically similar shoulder upon the shank of the hook 4%. The connecting member 3 may be made in any desirable manner; for instance it may be formed up from sheet metal. In Figs. 10 and 11 I have shown said connecting-member or housing-part 3 in preliminary condition, it having a body 9 which is approximately flat and which is on an upward, inward slant. EX- tending from the lower part of the body 9 is a flange or tongue 10, the stock where it connects the body 9 and flange 10 being rounded somewhat as at 11. The body portion 9 is provided with the lateral substantially parallel-cheeks 12 having companion slots or apertures 13 in which the central portion of the upper side bar of the loop or eye 2 bottoms, the closed ends of the slots being as shown rounded on a radius conforming practically with that of said side bar. The extensions 6, as will be clear, are situated between the cheeks 12, the shouldered sides of the said extensions being opposite but spaced from the inner surface of the plate-like body 9 of the connecting memher 3. The hook or crook portion M of the spring a partly surrounds the upper side bar of the loop 2', the body of said spring OX7 tending out through the slot 15 in the body portion 9 and its catch end being cooperative with the bill of the hook 4. The cheeks 12 are slit as at 16 between the ends thereof, each cheek having at opposite sides of the slit therein the lips 17 and 18, the lips 18 being larger or projecting outward a greater distance from the cheeks than the lips 1? for a reason that will hereinafter appear. The lower portions of the cheeks 12 are cut away as at 19, the marginal portions of the cutaway portions being rounded. The flange or tongue 10 has a reduced free portion 20, the purpose of which will be hereinafter stated; it also has a spring-receiving slot 21.

In assembling the parts the following procedure may be adopted: The inner portion of the shank of the hook will be fitted between the sides or cheeks 12 with the plain or non-shouldered face against the inner surface of the body portion 9 from which as will be understood, said body portion presents a bearing for said hook. The extensions 6 will then be fitted between the said sides or cheeks 12 and the upper side bar of the loop or eye 2 adjacent said extensions will be introduced into and bottomed in the mating notches 13. The shank of the hook 4 has a bevel surface 22 terminating at its lower or inner end in an abrupt shoulder 23. The extensions are placed against the shank of the hook 4, with the bevel surfaces 7 against the bevel surface 22 and the shoulder or abrupt face 8 against the shoulder or abrupt face 23, thus interlocking the loop and hook members. It will be clear, therefore, that the loop member is provided with a hook-like projection and that the shank 4 is similarly equipped, the two hook-like portionsinterengaging. After the said hook 4 and loop member 2 are engaged, the spring 5 near its crook end 14 will be passed through the slot 15 subsequent to which the crook or hook portion 14 of the-spring will be passed partly around the upper cross bar of the loop member 2 at the split. Following this the free branch of the crock portion 14 will be flattened down against the flat outer surfaces of the two extensions 6. The lips 17 and 18 will then be bent down. The lips 17 will overlie and fit against the outer plain surfaces of the two extensions 6, while the lips 18 will overlie the free branch of the crook 14. By slitting the cheeks or sides 12 in the manner indicated, the two lips 18 when they overlie the adjacent end of the spring 5 present in effect a bulge or an internal seat to receive the butt or free end of the spring 15, by reason of which fact and the further fact that the spring is engaged on its sides by the side walls of the slot 15 lateral motion of the spring is precluded. Prior to the time the lips 18 are bent in the tongue or flange is bent around, so that its reduced portion 20 will be disposed between the sides or cheeks l2, and the lips 18 when bent down will fit over this reduced portion 20. When the connecting member 3 is closed'the several parts thereof will be tightly gripped or clamped and the free edges of the two pairs of lips 17 and 18 will be practically in engagement. The bill of the hook 4 is slightly notched out as at 24, the adjacent end of the spring 5 being fitted in the notch when the spring is in closed or operative relation. When the tongue or flange 10 is fitted between the sides 12, the butt portion of the tongue is curled around and in con tact with the curved surface of the cutaway portion 19.

The hook shown in Figs. 12, 13 and 14 is very similar to that already described and therefore but a brief description of it will be made. In the modified form of hook the loop member is denoted by 30, the connecting member by 31, the hook member by 32 and the spring member by 33. The connecting member 31 shown in detail in Figs. 13 and 14 is quite similar to that in Figs. 10 and 11, theprincipal difference being that the body portion 34 of the connecting member has an internal offset 35 to receive the hooked free end of the spring member 33. This is one diiference. Another is the fact that the connecting member 31 is closed inside the snap hook, while the snap hook in the other views is closed exteriorly. In both cases there is a housing" or box-like connecting member which receives and firmly secures the loop member, the hook member and the spring member.

I deem it desirable to note that I have used the title snap hook as applied 'to my invention merely as a matter of convenience and for the further fact that the invention is of especial utility when used in this field. The invention may be incorporated in other kinds of hooks; in other words in some cases there may be no snap spring orequivalent element.

It will be noted that the box or housinglike connecting or frame member 3 tapers toward the top and that the shank of the hook 4 is correspondingly shaped in both forms of the invention which aids in preventing the hook from being accidentally pulled from place.

What I claim is: v

1. In a device of the class described comprising a hook member and a. loop member, a connecting member, the connecting member being provided with cheeks having slots open to receive the inner side bar of the loop member, said side bar having an extension and the hook member having a shank, the shank and the extension being fitted between the cheeks, the latter being flanged over said extension and shank, and

the connecting member having a tongue to hold said inner side bar of the loop member in said slots.

2. In a device of the class described comprising a hook member and a loop member, a connecting member, the connecting memher being provided with cheeks having slots open at their outer ends to receive the inner side bar of the loop member, the hook member having a shank and said inner side bar having an extension received and interlocked between said cheeks, and a spring bent around said inner side bar, the back of the connecting member having a slot for the passage of the spring, the free end of which cooperates with the bill of the hook member, the cheeks having flanges bent over the butt of the spring and over the interlocking portions of the shank and extension, the back of the connecting member having a tongue bent around the bent portion of the spring and also around the cheeks and crossing the open ends of the slots, the stock of the connecting member between the two slots bearing against the spring, and the free end of the tongue being under the flanges of the checks.

3. In a device of the class described comprising a hook member and a loop member, a connecting member, the connecting member being provided with cheeks having slots open at their outer ends to receive the inner side bar of the loop member, the hook member having a shank and said inner side bar having an extension received and interlocked between said cheeks, and a spring bent around said inner side bar, the back of the connecting member having a slot for the passage of the spring, the free end of which cooperates with the bill of the hook member, the cheeks having flanges bent over the butt of the spring and over the interlocking portions of the shank and extension, the back of the connecting member having a tongue bent around the bent portion of the spring and also around the cheeks and crossing the open ends of the slots, the stock of the connecting member between the two slots bearing against the spring and the free end of the tongue being under the flanges of the cheeks, each of the flanges being split between its ends to provide a bearing for the butt portion of: the spring.

a. In a device of the class described comprising a hook member and a loop member, a connecting member, the connecting member being provided with cheeks having slots open to receive the inner side bar of the loop member, the hook member having a shank disposed between the cheeks, the latter having flanges bent over the shank and the connecting member having a tongue to hold said inner side bar in said slots.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DON J. SCOTT.

Witnesses:

ILLA F. HOFFMAN, WALTER L. BELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

